WOMAD

The Bisserov Sisters

From Bulgaria

Biography by Andy Morgan, July 2002:The Pirin Mountains in the southwestern corner of Bulgaria are stunningly beautiful with their high peaks, deep lush valleys, secluded monasteries and verdant pine forests. The mountains also happen to be the source of some of Europe’s weirdest and most riveting traditional music. Lyubimka, Mitra and Neda Bisserova have devoted their lives to collecting, learning and performing the songs of their native land. They are masters of the bafflingly complex Pirin harmonies which deal in such deviant fractions of tones that you’ll find yourself booking an appointment with your ear doctor to make sure some mutant alien force hasn’t taken over your listening faculties. Their songs can be sublimely beautiful as well, swooping like the legendary green dragon over forests and valleys to the accompaniment of the long necked tambura lute, the tarambuka vase drum and the tambourine. The three Bisserov sisters won a competition in the late 1970s to represent Bulgaria at a festival of world music in Havana, Cuba. On their return they were snapped up by the famous Philip Koutev Ensemble, a state sponsored music troupe whose job it was to showcase the immense riches of traditional Bulgarian music in a large orchestral setting with plenty of socialist triumphalism. The legendary ‘Mystère Des Voix Bulgares’ CDs which appeared on the 4AD label in the late 1980s featured singers from Philip Koutev’s choir. For the past decade or so the Bisserov sisters have been getting back to basics, interpreting their Pirin heritage with directness, simplicity and soul. Kate Bush is a big fan and you will soon be as well, that’s guaranteed. Just trust your ears if you can.Short biography 2002:From south-west Bulgaria, Lyubimka, Mitra and Neda Bisserova sing of the folklore of the Pirin Mountains, often in the style of the deeply traditional two-part harmony. The complex blending of voices of this joyful and expressive trio is a true delight.Biography from artist management, March 2002:www.markopolo.co.ukLyubimka, Mitra, and Neda Bisserova have long been wonderful ambassadors for Bulgarian singing performing and recording all over the world but always returning to their mountain village of Pirin in south-west Bulgaria.Their debut international performance was in Cuba in 1978 when they won an international World Music Festival competition where they were participating after winning a competition to represent Bulgarian folk singing - to perform outside Bulgaria in those days was a rare event. Success in Cuba led to their first recording for the state-owned Balkanton label and an invitation to join the Philip Koutev National Folk Ensemble with whom they went on to perform for thirteen years.The majority of their songs concern the typical features of folklore in the Pirin Mountains and are often sung in two-part harmonies which are incredibly distinctive and often referred to as one of the most primitive forms of singing still to be heard in Europe. Technically it uses the harmonic combination of seconds, thirds and quarts where the chords of second prevail. One of the sisters will lead with the melody and the 'whoops' while the other two add the primary tone of the melody and sometimes one will come in unison with the lead melody. The songs are sometimes sung a capella, sometimes with the accompaniment of the region's instruments: tarambuka (vase-drum), tambura (long-necked lute), and daire (tambourine), and always performed in the traditional costume of Pirin.This is no twee folklorique group. The Bisserov Sisters have constantly scoured the archives for previously unheard tunes and songs, and also benefited from the interest and support by such diverse musicians as Kate Bush, and Hank Wangford. In the early 1990s The Bisserov Sisters toured the UK on several occasions with great success. More recently their work has been on the International Stages of WOMAD, and in performances with their own children. They've recorded 6 CD's in their own right and appeared on many compilations including 'Global Divas' which was an album embracing the world's most famous singers over the past 25 years.